


Embr: The Super-Effective Dating App!

by OldSchoolJohto



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Camping, Dating, Drabble, Drabble Collection, Drabble Sequence, F/F, F/M, Gen, Online Dating, Social Media, Tinder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:34:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23864587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldSchoolJohto/pseuds/OldSchoolJohto
Summary: Dating in the pokemon world is a hot mess: Trainers are moving targets. Hostels and tents are dodgy places for a hookup. But don't worry--Embr is here to help you find someone who's your type--It's Super Effective! (TM)
Kudos: 5





	Embr: The Super-Effective Dating App!

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Postcards](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16241576) by [OldSchoolJohto](https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldSchoolJohto/pseuds/OldSchoolJohto). 



> Rating: PG - some suggestive content, but nothing at all explicit.
> 
> Cheers to the folks at Thousand Roads and especially to Misfit Angel for brainstorming about the pokemon world's names for social media platforms, including Embr. Builds on #15 in my "Postcards" set -- Cities and Hunger: Nimbasa. I might add more to this set if another one occurs to me. For now, I hope you enjoy!

**Ember**

Macro Cosmos recognizes that trainers face unique dating challenges. So we’ve created Embr to help you match with your preferred type — It’s Super-Effective (TM)!

Simply swipe right to Catch and swipe left to Release. Catches are added to your Date Dex... and then it’s up to you to Make Your Move!

Now available for a variety of mobile devices (not supported for Rotom Phone).

Please swipe safely — always meet in public spaces. Do not use while biking, battling, or entering tall grass. Note that Macro Cosmos does NOT recommend using electric-type pokémon to boost mobile signal.

Terms and restrictions apply.

\--

**First Impression**

The color is called “Undying Embers,” which is to say, _red_. She hasn’t worn lipstick in months, the tube jammed to the bottom of her pack. A little color helps though — like she’s actually put in effort for this date.

Her shirt is another matter, two holes scorched into the left side.

She reaches to touch her talonflame’s ball with a sigh and a smile. It’s been a while since she’s had to put out fires.

Well. It’s still her cleanest shirt. She tucks it in and untucks it again, then wonders if a well-placed badge might cover the holes.

\--

**Future Sight**

“What do you think of this one?” On her belly on the hostel cot, Amy turns her phone towards the alakazam sitting cross-legged next to her.

He ignores the screen and stares into the middle distance, eyes glowing. Then his eyes return to their normal color, and he shakes his head.

“Yeah, you’re right. He laughs at his own jokes for sure.” She flicks through several profiles and then sits up. “How about him?”

The alakazam shakes his head.

“But he’s a Capricorn.”

He pauses, squints, and then firmly shakes his head again.

With a sigh, she returns to swiping.

\--

**Destiny Bond**

We actually met on Embr, funny enough. Back in Celadon.

Wasn’t expecting much, to be honest. People don’t take it seriously, you know? But sometimes you get lucky.

Don’t get me wrong: the date was a total bust. As stimulating as talking to a sandwich. I was _this_ close to chugging my drink and walking out ...but he started complaining about this pokemon that was giving him trouble. So I said _show me yours and I’ll show you mine._

Best trade of my life.

Not everyone has what it takes to handle a strong, independent feraligatr. Isn’t that right, baby?

\--

**Fake Out**

“Mika?”

He hadn’t been quite sure in the low light, but she turns and coyly tilts her head.

He takes the empty stool. “You’re even prettier in person.”

She only smiles. Unsurprising — her profile warned she was shy.

“Don’t be nervous. Excuse me — two screwdrivers.”

“Ordering for me.” He almost swears she speaks without moving her lips. A trick of the light.

“Trust me, you’ll love it. Funny story, actually—“

She laughs, sudden and wild.

He blinks, and she’s not a girl anymore.

The zoroark bolts, cackling, to the real Mika across the bar. She flashes him a thumbs down.

\--

**Pursuit**

Caleb first saw her in the Goldenrod underground market. Hair dyed to match her shiny ampharos. One arm ending abruptly at the elbow. He didn’t mean to stare, but she was also beautiful.

Fumbling to pay and bag his payapas, he planned his words. A battle was a safe ask.

But she’d already disappeared.

He asked around for her at the Ecruteak pokecenter. Then Olivine. Then Cianwood. She was hard to miss, but by hours or days...he kept missing her.

Caleb skipped the Storm Badge. He’d return later.

A little faster, a little further, and he could finally ask...

\--

**Poison Sting**

Leaves snag her hair, but she doesn’t care. Not when bark scrapes her back, not when he tumbles her through the grass. But when he presses himself on top of her, she finally squeaks out, “Could you...?” The pokeballs at his belt dig into her.

They remove their belts, no regard for where they land. Their clothes dot the bushes.

Later — her back is on fire. She bolts from the tent. Pulling up her shirt, she begs her vaporeon to spray her down.

When her whimpering and scratching persists, he comes out with the flashlight. “Uh oh.”

“What?”

“Poison ivy.”

\--

**Rest**

The two trainers had been giggling together for the last hour, so when the lights went out at eleven, Taylor was grateful. They were scheduled for the gym at nine, which meant warm-up by eight, which meant out of bed by seven thirty...

Romeo and Juliet could sort out their hormones by daylight.

Taylor was almost asleep when the squeaking started. _A loose pokemon_? they wondered at first. And then a moan — distinctly human.

They coughed, a good loud one.

For a moment, blessed silence.

Then a whisper, a giggle. And springs creaking.

Taylor mashed a pillow over their ears.

\--

**Play Rough**

Hannah never liked to lose, but she especially hated to lose to girls she wanted to impress. She slouched, hands in her pockets, and crossed the makeshift arena with a sheepish smile. “Alright,” she said. “I take it back.”

“Yeah. I thought you might.”

Lisette’s sylveon, the smug pink bastard, wove between her legs.

“Good match.” They shook hands for what Hannah thought was a long time. Then she said, “I guess I promised I’d put my money where my mouth is.” She reached for her wallet.

“Or.” Lisette tipped her head to one side. “You could buy me dinner.”

\--

**Return**

“I wonder if he still looks the same.”

“Same,” agreed Ramps, the murkrow.

Fiona pet him absent-mindedly and looked out the window, at her reflection superimposed on the landscape whizzing past. Before the train, she did shower. But her boots were still falling apart, her t-shirt still faded. Her hair was long now, braided for convenience.

“I just hope he won’t be… disappointed.”

“Disappointed,” grated Ramps.

She tried not to take it personally.

The train clunked to a stop and Fiona stood. Her pulse jittered…but like so many times before, she tightened her shoulder straps and moved through it.

\--

**Roost**

Contrary to common belief, fletchinder do not necessarily mate for life. Once evolved, talonflame no longer form pairs at all. In fact, they are known to hunt smaller birds, including fletchling.

Breeding season is the only time fletchinder tolerate others of their species. Couples build their nests in the main forks of trees and decorate them with paper, fabric, and even pokeball fragments or other trainer discards. A mated pair will often reuse the same nest each year.

However, for reasons not yet well-understood, one or both fletchinder may suddenly set the nest aflame and then depart, never to return.


End file.
